Atticus Finch: A Just Man Essay

522 words - 3 pages

Atticus Finch is one of the best male role models in American Literature. This instrumental character in To Kill a Mockingbird was a just man who kept his town of Maycomb from falling apart. He seeked fairness in every situation and never needed to reconsider his position on any issue. This sense of righteousness was displayed no matter the situation, making him consistent in his beliefs. Atticus treated his children, Jem and Scout, as adults, causing them to be mature beyond their ages. He bestowed his wisdom and values upon them about taboo subjects like racism. When asked a question, Atticus answered honestly regardless of the subject. Scout once asked ...view middle of the document...

When Calpurnia, his African American maid, took his children to her "colored" church, Atticus was completely unaffected, whereas his sister, Alexandra, was infuriated by this act. In addition to being against exploitation of African Americans, he stood firmly against taking advantage of those who are less fortunate or less educated. His community viewed him as a gracious man, always willing to help anyone in need. When asked to defend Tom Robinson against an accusation of rape, Atticus accepted the case without hesitation, feeling it was the right thing to do. It was obvious from the start that Maycomb's racist citizens were going to convict Tom based on the fact that we was an African American, but Atticus pursued the strongest defense possible. He defended Tom's innocence by proving Bob Ewell was a liar and questioning Mayella's role in the crisis. However, this was done in a polite manner, further earning his spectators' respect. Scout described her father's methods stating, "I never heard Atticus raise his voice in my life, except to a deaf witness." (Lee 174) Atticus Finch believed in doing what he felt was the right thing, regardless of others' opinions. As a man of conviction, he was a tremendous role model to his children and those around him. He treated others with respect and recognized there was always more than one side to a story. Atticus was a righteous man who led by example and, in his own quiet way, continues to gain the respect of everyone introduced to his character.Works CitedLee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. New York: Warner Books, 1982.

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him, but Atticus stood up for what he believed in. Atticus had a lot of courage he was the
only man in town that would fight for Tom Robinson, because he knew it was wrong to
accuse him of

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